"Cocolia versus Cocolia?"
Most of the people watching this bizarre scene were stunned. The only exception was one person—or rather, one being that wasn't a person: Mr. Svarog.
Quite a few people had originally wanted to rush in and help, but they stopped in their tracks.
They glanced at Jing Yan beside them.
Jing Yan's expression was calm and unruffled. He gave no sign of what he was thinking.
So, without a word, everyone present stopped what they were doing and watched the "Shadow of Cocolia" battle Cocolia in midair.
"Hmph!"
Cocolia gave a soft scoff and said nothing more.
She knew this wasn't the real thing.
Even if this creature looked just like her.
But that no longer mattered. By now, she had decided to cast aside the clever tricks of a mere mortal and, with the Stellaron's power, merge with the Fragmentum and become a different kind of Fragmentum creature.
So, after a slight shift in her resolve, she raised the Frost Twin-Blade Spear in her hand and hurled it at the "Shadow of Cocolia" in front of her.
"Is this thing really going to work?" March 7th asked from the side.
"You're the one controlling it, right? Is it—"
"I'm not exactly controlling it. I only chose its hostile target. Its abilities still come from the Fragmentum's imprint of Cocolia," Jing Yan replied.
"So it's basically like those legendary digital cricket fights?" March 7th mused.
Stelle, standing nearby, gave her a somewhat speechless look.
They were still on the battlefield, after all. March 7th's casual remark did seem to dampen morale a little.
But in truth, it had no effect on the battle raging above them.
The Shadow of Cocolia and Cocolia had already clashed.
Two ice lances floated behind the Shadow of Cocolia, firing icicles at Cocolia without pause.
Cocolia seemed too lazy to bother fighting her own copy, and simply summoned several Fragmentum creatures.
But then Cocolia realized something was wrong.
The Fragmentum creatures she had summoned with the Stellaron's power changed form almost as soon as they appeared.
They transformed from their original shapes into something entirely different.
Cocolia hadn't anticipated this turn of events.
After all, the root of every decision she had made so far was her faith in the Stellaron. She believed it could grant her wish.
Just as it had once granted the wish of the first Supreme Guardian, Alisa Rand.
From the first time she had encountered the Stellaron as a child, she had heard its tempting voice.
And, little by little, she had come to believe it.
She believed that the being capable of bringing the Frost Wave to Belobog could also grant Belobog's people a new beginning.
As long as she truly wished for it and prayed, the Stellaron could make it happen.
In other words, everything stemmed from the Stellaron's power.
Unfortunately for her, under the counteracting force of Jing Yan's Aeon-level Eros, the Fragmentum creatures Cocolia controlled through the Stellaron had instantly changed masters.
They had struck her with an "attack from within" that she could hardly believe.
Even more astonishing was how much the Fragmentum creatures had changed in appearance. Cocolia didn't know how he had done it, but from the expressions of the enemies below, she was certain that Jing Yan was responsible.
He possessed an exceptionally strange and unique power that could strip her of control over the Fragmentum creatures.
The power emanating from the Aeon within Jing Yan seemed nowhere near as vast and surging as the power he now hoped to obtain—the Stellaron's power. Yet it was mysterious and utterly unlike anything else.
Her own power simply couldn't influence it.
That was terrifying.
So, in an instant, Cocolia made her decision: she would focus on dealing with the impostor before her.
The Shadow of Cocolia.
Only after completely defeating it could she properly deal with the rest of them.
The Shadow of Cocolia's attacks were fierce, every move just like the real Cocolia's.
After she caught an ice-elemental spear, the Shadow of Cocolia's expression didn't change in the slightest. Instead, it followed up with even more attacks, wielding powers and techniques that the real Cocolia had never possessed.
A layer of special divine power seemed to cling to the golden and silver armor around its body, keeping her power from penetrating it.
At last, Cocolia decided to stop underestimating her opponent.
She truly awakened the Stellaron and merged with it.
In an instant, her whole body underwent a transformation more drastic than anything before.
She was no longer the "merciful" yet imposing blonde Supreme Guardian she had once been.
Instead, she took on the form of a Fragmentum creature.
Her skin had vanished, replaced by a starry hue, and ice enveloped her body.
Her golden hair became long enough to trail on the ground, shifting from deep blue to creamy blue.
She hovered in the air, four ice lances floating behind her.
Ice armor covered her legs and chest.
Though it was more like some kind of adornment than armor.
Now she looked more like a monstrous queen.
Two pillars of ice stood nearby, shaped like stars, crosses, or perhaps diamonds.
Her overwhelming presence spread all around her.
Everyone below grew wary.
"Listen! The power surges through me, singing!"
Cocolia spoke in her original voice.
Though her face had become a deep, featureless black,
made of energy like the backdrop of the cosmos.
The howling wind played its accompaniment.
Her icicles grew even sharper, and the power of the cold answered her every command.
Under that power, even the Shadow of Cocolia gradually faltered.
An ice spear pinned it directly in midair.
Where the ice spear had torn open its "wound," no blood flowed from beneath the Shadow of Cocolia's armor. Only blurred, flickering images showed through, brightening and dimming.
This, too, proved that it wasn't the real Cocolia.
Yet even now, it still looked like Cocolia.
The real Cocolia's appearance had long since become unrecognizable.
Only her silhouette, her commanding presence, and her voice still told everyone who she was.
Amid the bitterly cold wind, everyone realized how powerful she was. Stelle was the first to charge forward.
Stelle climbed up the body of the towering Engine of Creation, while the others cleared the obstacles in her path.
Only Jing Yan remained unmoved below.
March 7th glanced at him and asked in confusion, "Jing Yan, aren't you worried?"
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